Most Significant Production Debuts at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show

Ten you'll be driving soon.

As it is every year, the 2008 North American International Auto Show was flush with sexy concept cars highlighting innovative materials, NASA-ready technology, and many a powertrain intended to get them down the road without using gasoline.

Still, as ever, the most significant production debuts are destined to remain earthbound while running on dead pterodactyls. Some, such as Cadillac’s stunning CTS coupe concept, are variations on familiar themes. Others, such as the vastly improved Dodge Ram pickup, are good things simply made better—a lot better. Indeed, most have names—and in some cases, faces—that we know quite well. Only a couple of these automobiles are truly new.

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But however recognizable these cars and trucks might be, especially if you sift through CARandDRIVER.com’s pages with any frequency, they are sufficiently improved to make our list of the 10 most significant production debuts of the 2008 NAIAS.

For our part, we’re more than excited to get our butts behind the wheels of each one of these. And from what we can tell, you should be, too.

If the CTS coupe was the best-kept secret of the NAIAS, then the CTS-V was the worst. Still, it’s just as titillating—and a heck of a lot faster. As with the prior CTS-V, the new model once again incorporates Corvette-sourced powertrain components. But whereas the previous version had base-model Corvette pieces and was no slouch with 400 horsepower, this newest star-shagging CTS-V aimed higher, ending up with some 550 horsepower from a detuned version of the new Corvette ZR1’s 620-hp LS9 engine. The CTS-V’s interior and exterior reflect its newfound muscle, looking menacing from every angle. And boy, are we salivating at the prospect of taming this shrew.

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The long-awaited, long-rumored so-called King of the Hill Corvette ZR1 was finally unveiled at the 2008 Detroit show, putting an end to years of speculation, spy shots, and conjecture-filled articles in the pages of auto magazines the world around. Indeed, we may have to let a few people go here at CARandDRIVER.com now that this big cat is out of the bag. Then again, we’ll probably be just as busy filling these same pages with first drives, road tests, and comparisons involving this wham-glam, 620-hp supercharged ZR1 that may be the baddest Corvette in its 55-year history. And that’s saying something.

For nearly 15 years, Dodge has been known for building trucks that are macho first and comfortable second (or maybe third or fourth). But with its vastly improved Ram pickup, Dodge is proving its trucks aren’t just about big rig road presence and Hemi V-8s but also extraordinarily comfortable interiors and clever new features such as storage compartments incorporated into the bed. Even better, the ride quality promises to set new standards in the segment, thanks to the fitment of a relatively sophisticated coil-spring rear suspension in place of conventional leaf springs. And the Ram certainly hasn’t gone soft in the styling department. Its big, snarling reverse-angle nose makes an even stronger statement than ever before, and it’s hiding a more powerful, 380-hp Hemi. Watch out, F-150.

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Having just learned that other auto companies can build nice full-size trucks too (such as Toyota, GM, Dodge, and Nissan), the formerly oblivious Ford Motor Company fast-tracked its F-150 refresh program to better fend off the new competition from making too big a dent in Ford’s kabillion-unit-per-year sales numbers. Too late: Sales are down dramatically, but fortunately, the drop is not as dramatic as the F-150’s revisions, which go beyond the complete restyle of every single body panel to nearly every interior bit. For 2009, there’s not much new under the skin, but a turbocharged V-6 and diesel engines are on the way. Will the new F-150 be enough to regain its footing in the market? Well, it sure looks good. And the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Hyundai’s lofty ambitions hit new heights with the official unveiling of the production-ready Genesis sedan. Indeed, the Genesis is going where no Hyundai has ever gone before: rear-wheel drive, with a choice of a powerful V-6 and, for the first time ever, an available V-8. The Genesis also promises the highest level of luxury features ever offered in a Hyundai, all at a price intended to undercut its competitors’ by as much as $10,000. Yeah, the company’s come a long way from its econocar roots, steadily improving quality while steadfastly delivering undeniable value to its customers. In the past decade, Hyundai has patiently silenced naysayers while climbing into segments once considered untouchable for the massive Korean company. Thus, no one was laughing when the Genesis rolled out, least of all us. All we want to do is drive it.

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It’s no secret that we’re fond of the sweet handling, solid structure, and attractive price ($15,000 to $20,000) of Mitsubishi’s handsome Lancer sedan. And we are rather beyond fond of the 295-hp turbocharged engine, rally-bred chassis, and boy-racer styling of the Lancer-based $33,615 Evo. But there is a lot of room in between—a really big sweet spot—for something that offers the best of both cars. Something with, say, all-wheel drive, about 235 turbocharged horsepower, and maybe a twin-clutch transmission—all for about $25,000. Say hello to the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. And we have all the details.

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Sure, the Volkswagen Passat CC is little more than a saucily styled Passat with only four seats. But we decided the CC is significant because, well, VW doesn’t currently have anything that could remotely be described as saucy. Thus, although it will be seriously de-contented compared with the high-zoot version that will be sold in European markets, the Passat CC is the sort of slickly styled halo car that could help entice people into VW showrooms on looks alone, even if they end up buying the more practical but slow-selling Passat on which it’s based. It also could help prime the pump for the reintroduction of the Phaeton later in the year.

Even if Cadillac had actually told us beforehand that it was planning to show us a CTS coupe in Detroit, it would have still taken our breath away when it finally rolled out. But the fact that the coupe was kept an absolute secret from almost every member of the media present only heightened its impact. We were floored. And thrilled. Because a coupe version of the CTS is something we’ve wanted to see for a long time, especially since the newest model—a 2008 10Best Cars winner, by the way—was introduced. But in giving us what we wanted, Cadillac gave us something we didn’t expect: a shockingly bold, deliciously controversial design that turned some people off but turned most of us on, especially after watching it spin a few times on the turntable. Better yet, it’s highly producible. But will it be? We got the scoop on that, too.

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With its truck sales in steep decline, Ford is in desperate need of hot-selling cars. The good news is that the great-looking and cleverly packaged Verve sedan concept unveiled in Detroit is exactly the sort of huge hit Ford so badly needs. The bad news? Well, the Verve hatchback (first seen at the 2007 Frankfurt show, but it was also testing the waters in Detroit) will go on sale in overseas markets later this year, but we won’t see the sedan—or hatch—here for at least two more years. (No automaker seems to know better how to keep its customers waiting than Ford.) But when the time eventually comes, Ford’s newest little car could take a really big bite out of the sales of the like-sized Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and Honda Fit.

Any vehicle that has won a 5Best Trucks award from us five times in a row qualifies as significant. And indeed, the Honda Pilot crossover is one such vehicle that needs no introduction. But its successor evidently does, and sooner than later, as tough competitors such as the Mazda CX-9 and GM’s Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia have recently arrived. Well, Honda has gone back to the dugout and come back swinging, this time with a bigger, better bat. Will the company hit another home run?